CHAPTER 313: CHAPTER 33: SECOND PRIMORDIAL SPIRIT

Not long after the carriage passed Ice Lake, one could see the village from afar.

Helian Sheng had heard that Fengdan County was an area that had suffered consecutive years of beast attacks and human calamities, a lost county where desolation was supposed to be everywhere, and no merchant caravan dared to pass through such a broken place.

However, along the way, there were no traces of beasts. Despite the heavy snow sealing the mountain roads, the snowy paths had been silently cleared, and ahead an ancient village enveloped in an orange defensive Dark Array appeared.

From the village’s wooden houses, cotton-white smoke curled out of the chimneys, with bright Blue Snow Candlelight leaking out of the wooden houses and the faint fragrance of food wafting out.

This place resembled the small mountain villages commonly found in the south, tranquil and peaceful.

Seeing the village landscape which greatly differed from the rumors, Helian Sheng understood that the changes here must be inevitably connected to Lady Hong Yao’s boss.

Just as he entered the village entrance, there was a sudden rustling sound on the ground.

A Colorful Spider, with glaringly white fangs and a body covered in brown bristles and eight legs, unexpectedly emerged from beneath the ground.

Helian Sheng’s expression remained unchanged, and something swiped out from under his sleeve. Hong Yao immediately recognized it as Shalman’s Earth Escape Spider.

According to Yue Jinghua’s arrangement, the village entrance’s defense is usually guarded by Gold Eater Worms and Little Shanshan. Tonight, it was supposed to be Gold Eater Worm’s turn to keep watch, but there was no sign of it.

Upon seeing Hongling, the Earth Escape Spider did not attack but slowly withdrew back into the ground.

After a while, the glow from the orange Defensive Dark Array dimmed, and a young woman walked out from the village entrance. When she saw Helian Sheng, she paused for a moment, but she did not overreact and merely gave Helian Sheng a bow as a greeting.

Observing the woman’s graceful demeanor and the fact that she performed the noble etiquette characteristic of the Dragon War region, even though she humbly referred to herself as a servant, she was more striking than the average young lady from a major household, certainly someone cultivated by a great noble family.

Having a fair understanding of Fengdan County’s background, Helian Sheng knew it originally belonged to a declining noble of the Dragon War Empire, yet he did not know the connection between this woman and the nobles of the Dragon War Empire, including Hong Yao’s boss.

After listening to Hong Yao’s explanation of Helian Sheng’s visit, the young woman apologetically said, "Sir, my young master is somewhat unwell tonight and may not be able to meet with guests. If Sir does not mind, please rest in the village for one night."

"Boss, is she wounded?" Hong Yao assumed Yue Jinghua had gotten hurt while repelling enemies the previous night and was anxiously concerned.

"Completely unharmed, just a bit overexerted. She needs only to sleep it off," Hongling replied calmly and deliberately, glancing at Helian Sheng, "Please forgive us, Mr. Helian."

How could it be such a coincidence? Or was the mysterious Beast Exterminator who defended against nearly a thousand soldiers from the Bailu Army last night actually... With his shrewdness, Helian Sheng quickly deduced multiple identities of Yue Jinghua after a brief contemplation.

In ordinary circumstances, given Helian Sheng’s status, not even an ordinary businessman, let alone the renowned president of a merchant guild within the Empire, would dare ask him to wait for an entire night.

But considering the incredible changes that had happened to Fengdan County in just a few days, as well as the field of Ice Bamboo outside, Helian Sheng agreed to the suggestion of meeting with Yue Jinghua the next day. That night, he stayed in Fengdan County.

As the night deepened, the Blue Snow Candles in the village were blown out. In the wooden houses, children were fast asleep in their mothers’ arms, while the elderly murmured in their sleep. Fengdan County hadn’t been this peaceful in a long time.

On the bed, Yue Jinghua fell asleep fully clothed, thinking it would be a very ordinary sleep of exhaustion. Little did she know...

In her slumber, Yue Jinghua saw the Mo Xi Treasure Book standing before her, emanating a modest and soft radiance.

The gentle light shone upon her, and the tiredness and exhaustion disappeared instantly; now fully awake, she sat up. Just as she was about to call someone, she heard even breathing behind her on the bed.

Turning her head to look, Yue Jinghua was startled. Her physical body was lying soundly on the bed.

Soul out of the body?

"It’s the Second Primordial Spirit," Qing Pu stood not far away.

"Why are you here, don’t tell me you’ve been watching over me while I sleep," Yue Jinghua rolled her eyes, the "herself" on the bed was spread out in a big character and the sleeping position was indeed quite unseemly.

"Who is watching you sleep? After you became a Silver Summoner, logically, you should have formed a Second Primordial Spirit. It only formed today; you are really too dull," Qing Pu puffed up like a small animal that had its tail stepped on.

Recently, he seemed to have recovered a lot of spiritual power; his ethereal spiritual body became much clearer. Standing beside Yue Jinghua’s newly formed Second Primordial Spirit, he appeared spirited and vibrant, his petulant demeanor especially visible.

The Summoner clan places great emphasis on spiritual power cultivation. When spiritual power reaches a certain realm, especially after becoming a Silver Summoner, a Second Primordial Spirit shall form.

The Second Primordial Spirit is different from the physical body; it is more sensitive in soul perception and has a sharper sense of detecting Dark Magical Beasts.

When the Second Primordial Spirit is newly formed, it is mostly unstable and can easily disintegrate. Qing Pu had noticed that Yue Jinghua’s spiritual power had been very unstable for several days and guessed that she was about to form a Second Primordial Spirit, hence he vigilantly stayed by her side day and night. But this stubborn fellow refused to express his concern openly.

The Second Primordial Spirit is exceedingly important for the cultivation of Summoners. With a well-cultivated Primordial Spirit, even if the physical body is damaged, one can escape by transforming into a divine body.

"Your Second Primordial Spirit has just formed; you must not leave your body for more than two hours each day," Qing Pu reminded. No sooner had he finished speaking than he saw Yue Jinghua dart out like the wind, just as he had predicted. True to Yue Jinghua’s nature, the first thing she did after forming her Second Primordial Spirit was to engage in Divine Travel.

Qing Pu first frowned, but then his brow relaxed, and a seemingly helpless yet indulgent smile appeared on his lips. A green shadow flashed, turning into a green blur, and he quickly followed after Yue Jinghua.

Having heard this, Yue Jinghua couldn’t help but feel ecstatic in her heart. Unbound by her physical body, she wondered what kind of view the world presented through her Second Primordial Spirit.

The mountains were clearer, the waters purer, and even the stars in the sky felt especially distinct.

Having possessed the Second Primordial Spirit for only a moment, Yue Jinghua realized why Summoners needed to cultivate their Primordial Spirits. Freed from the physical body, the Second Primordial Spirit was more discerning of the energies between heaven and earth, including the power of the stars.

She could sense that, in the state of the Second Primordial Spirit, her absorption rate of Star Power was four times that of the ordinary state.

Thrilled by this discovery, Yue Jinghua couldn’t help but look around. The ridge of Xuan Beast Mountain at night presented a completely different scene.

Looking at the mountains covered in pristine white snow, Yue Jinghua took a deep breath of the cold and extremely fresh air from the snow-capped mountains.

Why not explore the mountains? Using the Primordial Spirit to enter the mountains, even if she encountered formidable Dark Beasts, there was no need to worry too much.

Just as she was about to walk into the mountains, her wrist was suddenly seized. Qing Pu looked towards Xuan Beast Ridge.

In front was the endlessly stretching white ridge of Xuan Beast Mountain, the end of which was unknown. Suddenly, an odd feeling arose from the bottom of Yue Jinghua’s heart.

The ridge began to roll tumultuously, as if it transformed into a giant python, and a pair of sinister, terrifying beast eyes peered out from a place on the ridge.

With a sudden movement, it was as if a soundless beast roar echoed from the ridge, spreading outwards.

All at once, the part of the ridge closest to Xuan Beast Mountain began shaking. At first glance, countless mists of snow seemed to surge like an avalanche.

"What is it?" Yue Jinghua couldn’t help asking.

"Monster tide," Qing Pu’s expression turned grave, as he uttered two words.